


Day 322

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [322]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27624830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [322]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 322

Orsino met with Denni first thing after breakfast, as they had every morning since her Harrowing. They were both pushing their minds dangerously close to their limits and Orsino worried that Denni might burn out on stress before Ines arrived. He had seen it before, many times, and the consequences could be deadly. Even if they weren’t, a crash as the wrong time could ruin her chances at impressing the botanist.

He had given her a few days off to rest and relax but he knew she had spent that time studying in the library until she fell asleep. The harder she pushed herself the worse she performed and naturally she thought that meant she wasn’t pushing herself hard enough.

Orsino had spent the night before preparing illustrations of different herbs without labels so he could give Denni a quick test to boost her confidence and then have her engage in some ‘practical training’ in the newly reopened garden. She was always happier among the plants and Orsino knew from experience that teaching others was the best way to cement one’s own knowledge.

When Denni arrived, she looked exhausted. The bags under her eyes were growing and her hair was getting tangled and it looked as though it had not been properly washed in a while.

She sank into a chair across from Orsino and opened her herbology textbook.

“Close that,” Orsino instructed. “I have a test prepared for you and you cannot use any of your books or notes. Only what you remember.”

“I’m not ready!” Denni exclaimed. “If I had known, I would have prepared more.”

Orsino held up a hand to silence her.

“If I gave you warning it would not be a proper test. There is no consequence for failure, it’s only to see how far you have come. I’ll hold up a picture of a plant and you will identify it and tell me at least one common usage for it.”

Denni nodded and Orsino held up the first card.

“Elfroot,” she said with a slight eye roll. Any random peasant could identify elfroot but it was one of the most useful plants. Orsino gestured for her to continue.

“Used in most common healing potions and poultices,” Denni said. Orsino held up the next one.

“Black Lotus,” Denni said, “the lotus plants are known for mind altering properties. Depending on how the black lotus is prepared it can either help attune a mage to the fade or it can work as a hallucinogen.” She continued to do well until the very last picture.

“It that… part of a tree?” she asked.

“No,” Orsino said. “This picture might be lacking. There should be a rock above it but the artist didn’t include anything that wasn't plant.”

“It doesn't quite look like rashvine, it is a variation?” She scrunched her face up in confusion. Orsino passed the image to her so she could get a closer look. 

“Are these meant to be hairs?” she asked.

“Hair-like plant matter, yes,” Orsino replied. She almost had it.

“Then it’s ghoul’s beard,” she said. “Like the lotus plants it can wreak havoc on the mind but is also flammable. The mind altering effects have been observed in animals, it especially agitates insects.”

“Excellent,” Orsino said. “You correctly identified every plant on the list.” The night of preparation was worth it for the look of pride on Denni’s face. “For the rest of the day I want you in the gardens. They just opened and some of the other apprentices are planting new batches of deep mushrooms and spindelweed. Make sure they properly prepare the soil.”

“Should I not spend more time studying?” Denni asked. Orsino shook his head.

“Not today. First off I need someone to make sure the planting goes well. Meredith had called me away from your instruction for a matter of concern to the Circle. Also Ines spends a lot of time in the field, there will likely be a large practical portion of her interview. This is just as much training as anything else.”

Denni nodded and headed out. Already she seemed to have a bit more zest then when she had come in. So much had gone wrong these past few years. Orsino hoped the Maker would let this one thing go right.


End file.
